The trace metal laboratory has been established for twenty-five years. It has a long-standing interest and experience in the measurement of metals and of metalloproteins. It has served as a service facility for multiple funded projects and for several important pilot or development projects. It served as the core laboratory for the P20 Development Grant. Due to the increased demand for the procedures and measurements provided by the laboratory, the Columbia School of Public Health is providing space to the Center to establish a core laboratory specifically and solely dedicated to trace metals and matalloprotein analyses. This Center would provide, in a centralized laboratory, analyses not otherwise available at the Columbia Health Sciences Campus. The core laboratory will provide the ability to measure a wide range of metals in biologic samples and will measure in serum and plasma major proteins involved in mineral metabolism. The present laboratory from which this core will be developed has extensive capabilities in the analyses of metals and a long history of success in accomplishing excellent performance on quality control and standardization programs for lead and mercury. It is using modern and well-developed atomic absorption methods for these analyses. It has developed and is continuing to develop modern and appropriate methods to measure such proteins as lactoferrin, lactoferrin receptors and melanotransferrin. It is using standardized methods for measurement of ferritin, transferrin, and transferrin receptors.